


The Torture Chamber

by Bluewolf458



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-21
Updated: 2013-10-21
Packaged: 2017-12-30 02:15:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1012843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluewolf458/pseuds/Bluewolf458
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Blair is in agony...</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Torture Chamber

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Sentinel Thursday

"You look as if you're feeling under the weather," Jim said as Blair weaved an unsteady path from the bathroom to the kitchen table.

"You could say that," Blair muttered. "With luck the tylenol will kick in in a few minutes."

Jim looked at the pain-filled expression that he could now see clearly. "What's wrong? migraine?!"

"I'd almost welcome a migraine," Blair groaned. "It couldn't be worse than this toothache."

"Toothache? But you were at the dentist just a couple of months ago."

"And - luckily - I've an emergency appointment for this afternoon. A filling came out at lunchtime yesterday. A _big_ filling."

"You didn't say anything abaout it last night."

"Wasn't bothering me last night, though when it came out I decided it had to be fixed before my next routine check-up. Luckily they'd had a cancellation for this afternoon, so I grabbed it. During the night the tooth began to hurt, and now... " He moaned softly.

"I know you were going to Rainier this morning," Jim said, "but do you have to?"

"Not really. I was just wanting to check up on some things in the library."

"All right; you stay here this morning. I do have to go in - I've a meeting with the DA - but I can take the afternoon off; I'll come home at lunchtime. When's your appointment?"

"Quarter to three."

"Well, I'll be home not later than half past one, and I'll take you - "

"You don't have to," Blair protested, but weakly.

"You won't want to be driving after the dentist has done his worst," Jim said.

"Probably not," Blair admitted.

Jim looked at him, knowing that Blair was unlikely to want to eat, but... "Coffee?"

"No... the idea of putting anything in my mouth... But hell, I need my morning caffeine... yes. Not too hot."

"You got it."

Jim poured three-quarters of a mug of coffee, then topped it up with cold water. "Try that."

Blair sipped gingerly. "Thanks."

***

The tylenol helped, but only a little, and at two Blair climbed into the passenger seat of Jim's truck with more enthusiasm than he normally showed for a visit to the torture chamber called a dentist's surgery.

At the dentist's, Blair gave his name then sank into a chair, with Jim at his side.

He was quarter of an hour early. Time had never moved more slowly. It seemed to be far longer than fifteen minutes before his name was called.

"So you lost a filling?" Mr. Dankins said with a cheerfulness that hurt almost more than the toothache.

"Yes. Didn't hurt at the time, but overnight it really started to ache." Blair sat in the chair and leaned back.

Dankins tipped the chair backwards. "Okay, let's have a look. Mmm... If I'm honest, I'd recommend getting it out. There's been a lot of decay forming underneath the filling - haven't you been aware of a niggling pain when you chewed anything?"

"No," Blair tried to say. It came out as a garbled 'Ooh' but Dankins seemed to understand.

"I'm surprised." He straightened. "I don't say I couldn't save the tooth, or, rather, the roots, but you'd be looking at several return visits - root canal and a crown - and a lot of money... and, well, I wouldn't be acting responsibly if I suggested you go that route."

The prospect of having his mouth poked at over several return visits was the deciding factor. "Take it out," Blair said.

In the waiting room, Jim relaxed slightly. Dankins had suggested what would be, for Blair, the simplest and cheapest option instead of recommending the route that would have maximised the money going into his pocket, and Jim gave him full marks for that.

***

Ten minutes later, Blair, one side of his face slightly swollen, rejoined him.

"Okay?" Jim asked.

Blair nodded. "It can hurt as much as it wants now," he said. "It won't be hurting me."

On the way out, he stopped at the receptionist and paid for the extraction. Jim waited for him at the door, then led the way out. "You won't want to eat just yet," he said, "too much risk of biting your tongue while your mouth's still numb. But we can have a late dinner."

"Yeah. I was thinking maybe Chinese? A nice chow mein wouldn't be too difficult to chew... "


End file.
